Many conventional motor vehicles, such as the modern-day automobile, are originally equipped with a dedicated storage area next to the passenger compartment for stowing personal effects and belongings. A traditional trunk compartment, for example, is a large storage bin that is located at the rear of the vehicle and covered by a trunk lid that is hinged underneath the passenger compartment's rear deck. By comparison, the dedicated storage area of a pickup truck and other cargo transport vehicles (e.g., sport utility vehicles (SUV), cargo vans, box trucks, etc.) is typified by a rear cargo compartment that is closed off at the tail end by a hinged liftgate, tailgate or door assembly. Truck cargo compartments normally offer more storage volume than their conventional trunk counterparts by providing increased floor space with an elevated cargo ceiling (vans, SUVs, box trucks, etc.) or an open cargo area without a ceiling (pickups, flatbeds, etc.).
Pickup trucks and other cargo transport vehicles are frequently used as commercial work vehicles because the increased storage volume of their rear cargo compartment provides extra space for hauling oversized equipment, tools and trade supplies. The rear cargo compartment may be customized with storage boxes, shelving, or racks to accommodate more specific storage needs. To secure and safeguard expensive tools and equipment, for example, the cargo compartment can be retrofit with a truck bed storage box composed of a lockable lid that is coupled by double-acting butt hinges to a rigid basin. These storage boxes are typically affixed to a forward portion of the cargo bed, e.g., adjacent the vehicle cab, or along the sidewalls of the cargo bed, e.g., adjacent a wheel well. Oftentimes fabricated from high-gauge, rust-resistant aluminum or steel, the basin of a conventional storage box is normally anchored directly to the truck bed by bolts or screws that are driven through the cargo bed floor or sidewalls and into the truck frame. Other designs require permanently installed mounting brackets or rails to secure the storage container to the cargo bed.